The Opelousas courier., 1887-12-03

illiteracy increases in a ratio greater
than the increased population. And this Is
particularly true of this State, Tor every year
are drawing from the iaiteracy Of South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama
by the introduction OF colored laborers. This
iliteracy among the masses has not escaped
my attention. In the address I delivered be-
fore the State EDUCATIONAL Society at Monroe
in August. 1885, / said:
We will have to go beyond the common fchool
and the university among the masses of the peo-
PIE, and educate them, first. as to the necessity
for the establishment of public schools, the sac
rifces to be made for this purpose, and show that
maIe@leading to economy in government the
Of crime, the creation of new indus
crease ea1ss; Of taxation. and educste them a.a ses q \ is,
to the proper UNDERSTANDING Of the rights and
a naat a of f 10 sgpreaia ahe fo of free ine Ct EazeTn-
I am safe IN saying that not one-haif Of the yot-
ing population of Louisiana have any knowledge
e. The highest ssss ofs See' in tie State sass sit as s jurors,
and determine questions affecting property, lib
erty and life.
from this land enveloped with ignorance there
are loud and distressing cries for aid, aud let
for the means of giving them light and knowl-
edge.
heart in this State that your noble efforts III be-
half of education may succeed, and that the re-
suits Of your labors may be manifested in glow
ri ilsA IN sheets shSef &sa hlnieU ove 1H the Whole sds surface t
Of the State, billow upon billow, and wave on top
of wave, until the bright crests touch the radiant
light from the spheres above.
In my first biennual messaget to the Genera
Assembly l used the following language:
The a~oklowledged importance OF dissemlnat
dwelling at length on this subject. We have a
vast number Of children to provide for whose
parents are unable to send them to priya.e
schools, and it is of the utmost importance that
the common school system should be thoroughly
organized and compulsory attendance at school
In the message of 1884 I said on the same
subject:
parents are not only unable to send them TO
school,, but it is to be regretted that we notice an
t anTrn chfidssn % cut TO Of SCI School oop for aaf the a small aiSies sum
they get for their labor. Compulsory attend
ence az school should be required and legislation
dren at school must first be secured and then the
term of instruction should be extended. There
| should be q resolute and termine effort made
for school purposes. Every cent Of money not
to the maintenance of our public schools.
The State Stat n cans ni sn give 2 g general nnrIle sa agecat,en
d Thns i sn IS t Ras'iai at snp 81 the g sf Rae to e saaSsssG Is
citizens into an intelligent comprehension OF
tss d s9ssa,o Of dr sltI5sasshi Uni IF fall ana se aeeomp Ise
the object desired unless actively sustained by
the community, Individuals and local author.
relying exclusively upon fhe State or national
authority for aid. N community succeeds in
1 SuIEah1ftk IbE CHlldIGA I'LL y Aul66 Ia 1GAN
fact of local taxation. and trains itself to, the
persistent and generous assessment OF al its
p1 i vii sd fSa eng n f entire Change Chang in the common
school system, and recommend that school pre-
G dEssio1 Pc prs snd ab eyer tb 6y t orsan 5oaT iaw Of BE- con e
changed as to permit each school precinct TO tai
itself for school purposes. This system, I pc
In the message of 1886 I again said:
sity w az d hSMansr so lmPp plan I & Which SeR The tRe a RSasn
taRss of the public school system can. be placed
yOa ma sn s. se esten 81 II T. e she hnms e. sas and sp pooa
est. 1t Is our duty to foster snd encourage GU
public school system and to iegislate for 1T
The State should interfere as little as POSSIBLE
4 EooNomY OF THE FAMILY
and its right to direct the education of its mem
bers, but the government must protect Itself
and In the duty and authority, to require en-
has : right to intervene for its own protection
The ignorant man. as q voter. is as powerful a
e eRsr g0 ssa ssann dfeta aae f RsaR he sr so aegt should - 5
fitted to fulnil the duties of citizenship. I hay
een@oa sa mao Ge syssssa :. ean a' g 'a aaoP Ps sp9 aithea
facing the ..hard fact OF local taxation" In thi
sostr she e sea2sl c@ ssan5sasiett a hlr with u Il ssls t.
school, and can see the direct benefcial appliea
school in that particuieg localitGjE
q. I earnestly recomnessHa that . constitution
ting each School locality 70 a tax 10 supper
the schools in that particul9lslocality, and th
each ward or district BY election are provide
with a board OF directors to look after the inter
funds SO raised, and to select teachers properi
provided with certificates Of competency froi
the Superintendent Of Public Edneationi :,
companied by industrial training is what
needed IN this State. together with . free distr:
the State will justify the expenditure.
I again repeat from the official record
that the facts are Just as ! stated them !!
J dren attend school nov. than when Coy
i Nichols left the Executive office, twice th
number of.schoolhouses and schoclteachers
: with an appropriation OF 500, GOO MOI
4 for school purposes than during his admins
: tration.
FOR THE SUPPORT II SCHOOLS
! In 81 parishes during the year ending OCT
! Il 1st Is 81 N sSsa SrIsa1s 90 ss Mas ee7.eo asL a0f to II
revenue OF 1913, 452 90. or this total
S218, 252 90 was expended in 81 parishe
and 1910, $40 90 In the City of New o.
ieans-a total of $500, O85 IS.
/ F~ifty-three parishes reported e16 whit
I schools. with o71 teachers. taught for q
average of ~ months.
!, The parishes of Terrebonne n East Cal
roll held the maximum school term.
7 months. and the parish of Sabine the min
mum, If months
The number OF white males enrolled dul
ingt the year ] z was I, 200, females u,
49, total ~, 736. Darlng the same yea
!. with 323 teachers for o term of 91k months
with an enrolment Or: Wnlte naies, 16Ss
) females, 1893 toyal; l6aS66; totai Wnlt
/ enrolled IN the state curing 1873. g
i 528 eolored schools with 55l teachers Tor
term OF AZ mon1nss Ihe parishes OF Piaqu,
/ mines and I~erreponn navilg me maxlnaa Y
o.. y MoIltns anu Q Ra M nasins y
minimum OF 2 months. There we're enrolies
Coiored males l5sA64; Ienaales, l3.all
total, ms Ilsy On NeW OTieal
: nad IS coloTea scn9oas masn huA seac ~
4 open LOT va muiasnss snfolsu; o9i ea
r total enrollmeat OF solored pupils, 1881
: thereIoIes curing sbe year ISaS Shs 9sa
s ana 9lty .NsW oLaeaaa eApSnasu soSy
. ln9 e ~ haa !, pe.aa w w Eos 7,s ui5oo =,